Shloka 32
Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
तमाह भगवानग्निरेवमस्त्विति पार्थिवम् । ततः सांनिध्यमद्यापि माहिष्मत्यां विभावसो:,यह सुनकर भगवान् अग्निने राजासे कहा, “एवमस्तु (ऐसा ही होगा)”। तभीसे आजतक माहिष्मती नगरीमें अग्निदेवका निवास बना हुआ है
tam āha bhagavān agnir evam astv iti pārthivam | tataḥ sānnidhyam adyāpi māhiṣmatyāṁ vibhāvasoḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: Hearing this, the blessed Fire-god addressed the king, “So be it.” From that time onward, even to this day, the presence of Vibhāvasu (Agni) is said to abide in the city of Māhiṣmatī—marking the enduring power of a divine promise granted to a righteous ruler.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A righteous request, once accepted by a deity with the formula “evam astu,” becomes a binding promise whose effects endure. The verse highlights the ethical weight of truth and assent—especially in the context of kingship and dharmic conduct.
Agni responds to the king’s words or request by granting assent—“So be it.” As a result, Agni’s continuing presence is traditionally associated with the city of Māhiṣmatī, presented as an enduring sign of that divine grant.